|
|
Go to page 1~2 [Next] | ||||||||||
Jean-Eugène New user 12 Posts |
Hello everyone, I am new here and I hope my question(s) will be of value to the café.
What is misdirection really for? Despite tricks that occur under heavy misdirection like card under glass, it seems to me that misdirection is mostly used as an excuse to do stuff badly. For instance, I commented to an aquaintance that his double lift looked strange, but he insisted it was good since it occured under "misdirection". Is misdirection really a fantastic tool that can transforms terrible execution into good magic, or is it better used in a more subtle way? Cordially, J.E. |
|||||||||
BarryFernelius Inner circle Still learning, even though I've made 2537 Posts |
Misdirection isn't a magical condiment that can be poured over bad sleight of hand to make it acceptable. I don't even like using the word 'misdirection.' Let's think of it as 'controlling attention' instead.
The goal (and it's not easy to attain) is to control the audience's attention at every moment, during the entire show. Imagine that what the audience sees during the show is illuminated with light, and what they don't see is in various shades of grey, fading to darkness. Our job is to make sure that the audience sees exactly what we want them to see. We put the secret operations in the shadows, where they won't be noticed. (We wouldn't want the audience to be disappointed, after all.) This approach to attention control works best when it has been built into each effect as part of its design. Ideally, the audience should be unaware that you are in control of their attention. With that said, misdirection is no excuse for poor execution of sleights. Your misdirection may be imperfect. Well-executed sleights can save the day, particularly when you're working for that guy who just won't stop burning your hands! John Carney used to say that sleight of hand execution was the main thing, and misdirection is the insurance. Years later, John Carney says that misdirection is the main thing, and sleight of hand is the insurance.
"To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time."
-Leonard Bernstein |
|||||||||
Mary Mowder Inner circle Sacramento / Elk Grove, CA 3659 Posts |
Misdirection is direction of the spectator's and your (perceived) interest.
There is no excuse for "doing stuff badly". Misdirection is really important and you should not dismiss it. You are taking the wrong lesson from the encounter with your friend. -Mary Mowder |
|||||||||
Jean-Eugène New user 12 Posts |
@BarryFernilius
Thank you for your thoughts, I really enjoyed the Bruce Lee style quote by Carney. @Mary Mowder I did not say nor imply that I took any lesson, I was just skeptic about the whole "misdirection makes it good" rationale that seems to be predominant amongst the sleightly challenged. I am sorry if my phrasing made that unclear. |
|||||||||
gdw Inner circle 4884 Posts |
For a lesson in misdirection, see Tommy Wonder's Cups and Balls routine.
Also, study Slydini. They both knew how to use (mis)direction properly.
"You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one."
I won't forget you Robert. |
|||||||||
Pat Trick Regular user 145 Posts |
The late great Mr. Wonder preferred to call it "direction." A very good insight into performance naturalness.
To try is to risk failure; not to try, to guarantee it.
|
|||||||||
MuscleMagic Special user 794 Posts |
Anyone seen the tommy wonder with the egg? trick is called Magic Ranch
tommy wonder mentions allot the theory (not his) that the larger actions overshadows the smaller if you are great at doing side steals for example, add some eye misdirection + some time misdirection (this phrase is credited to harry lorayne) and when you make that card appear on deck the wow reaction will be that much stronger, ever see how Michael vincent does it? |
|||||||||
MagicJuggler Inner circle Anchorage, AK 1161 Posts |
I think the only one your friend is fooling is himself. Double lifts in particular need to be done as naturally as possible in order for them to really fool. Your friend may be getting away with it from time to time depending on the amount of misdirection he's using, but that's not going to cover when someone is burning your hands. Misdirection is a vital part of magic but it's never an excuse for poor technique.
Matthew Olsen
I heard from a friend that anecdotal evidence is actually quite reliable. |
|||||||||
MagicTobe Loyal user 259 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-01-11 15:13, gdw wrote: I second that. Just watch some videos of Tommy Wonder and Slydini on Youtube and you will understand what misdireciton is... for me there is no real magic without misdirction... P.S: I give you 50$ if you are not amazed by the magic of Slydini and Tommy Wonder |
|||||||||
tomsk192 Inner circle 3894 Posts |
Both those artists also had exceptional chops. It is far easier to misdirect if your sleights are not arousing any suspicion.
|
|||||||||
BarryFernelius Inner circle Still learning, even though I've made 2537 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-01-12 10:14, tomsk192 wrote: It's all about controlling attention. Awkward, unnatural moves call attention to themselves. They're incongruous; they stick out like the proverbial sore thumb. A poorly executed sleight done at the wrong moment will draw every eye in the house. But if you have exceptional chops and you've designed your effect so that you're controlling everyone's attention, you can create miracles. Take a look at this Gaetan Bloom clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKryURP7Vh8 I like to think of him as a guy who does Slydini-esque magic without lapping.
"To achieve great things, two things are needed: a plan and not quite enough time."
-Leonard Bernstein |
|||||||||
Gary T. Veteran user 375 Posts |
Midirection is important for many things, but it's job is not to hide bad sleights, while it can be used to draw peoples attention away from the sleight thus reducing the chance of them seeing even a well executed move, it's so much more than that. take the TT for instance, there's a reason a competent and confident performer can use a chrome plated one, there is a subtle bit of misdirection built in to the proper way to hold your hands, people ignore the important part of the hand completely and focus on the palm, which is really right next to where they should be looking, but even having their focus off by that tiny bit can hide what they should be looking for. I have several theories of what might contribute to them looking at the palm but they're just my opinion.
as far as cards are concerned there are many things that were specifically designed to be used under misdirection, I use the thumb count occasionally, do you think that's intended to be stared at? misdirection can be very important, I perform a card to pocket/mouth/forehead/really where ever I want it on a regular basis that quite literally would not work without misdirection. |
|||||||||
Dorian Rhodell Inner circle San Francisco, CA. 1633 Posts |
What is misdirection used for? Simply put, it is used to hide secrets out in the open.
Best, Dorian Rhodell |
|||||||||
Gary T. Veteran user 375 Posts |
Summed it up in one sentence.
|
|||||||||
vinsmagic Eternal Order sleeping with the fishes... 10957 Posts |
Dorian said it best , for the youtube watchers that spot every tell, doing it live with misdirestion the flashes and tells will not be seen except for the very keen eye
|
|||||||||
Jean-Eugène New user 12 Posts |
Wouldn't we want to fool those with very keen eyes?
|
|||||||||
MuscleMagic Special user 794 Posts |
Quote: everyone has keen eyes, question his how many times will they have to rewind the youtube video
On 2013-01-12 22:52, Jean-Eugène wrote: |
|||||||||
kiketron Loyal user 297 Posts |
The Books Of Wonder contain a long chapter only about Misdirection and how/when to use it as a powerful weapon for magicians
Check it out
Step into the unknown
|
|||||||||
Bandaloop Regular user Dodging attacks for the past 195 Posts |
Whenever someone mentions misdirection my mind immediately thinks of the Misdirection chapter in The Books of Wonder more so than any other writing I have read on the subject.
|
|||||||||
Jean-Eugène New user 12 Posts |
Quote:
On 2013-01-12 22:47, vinsmagic wrote: I am really confused by this, wouldn't flashes and tells arise suspition, make people suspect and/or detect sleights? Isn't that the kind of wishfull thinking other posters spoke against? |
|||||||||
The Magic Cafe Forum Index » » The workers » » Misdirection (0 Likes) | ||||||||||
Go to page 1~2 [Next] |
[ Top of Page ] |
All content & postings Copyright © 2001-2024 Steve Brooks. All Rights Reserved. This page was created in 0.03 seconds requiring 5 database queries. |
The views and comments expressed on The Magic Café are not necessarily those of The Magic Café, Steve Brooks, or Steve Brooks Magic. > Privacy Statement < |